How do Texas State students feel about DACA?

By Eden Freeman

Eaf38@txstate.edu

While DACA is put on hold by President Donald Trump, Texas State University students share their opinions on this controversial program.

DACA stands for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. It is a program that protects children who came here before the age of 18 from deportation and allows them to go to school and have a job in the United States. DACA recipients are not citizens of the United States and to stay under the program they must renew every two years and stay out of crime.

President Trump recently put a halt on the program and it is still up in the air on what will happen to DACA.  Student’s at Texas State University recently gave their opinions on the program.

"It is a great program for people to live their lives as U.S. citizens and not be bothered by actions that were taken when they were too young to do anything about." Crosby Figg, construction science junior said.

Overall most students interviewed agreed with the program.

“I think it’s sad that there are so many people here trying to live better lives, and our country turns them away. Especially for the minors who have spent their entire lives here, which DACA would applies to. There are requirements in order to keep them on the right track, so I don’t see what the issue is." Jesse Pena, business senior said.

"I feel like everyone deserves a chance to make a better life for themselves, especially since my parents are from another country.” Ngozi Nwachukw, microbiology freshman said.

Others agreed with the idea of DACA but thought it should be improved.

 "I know how it works firsthand and the frustration of having to send in stuff, send in forms and wait for it to get processed. It's a very long process." Samantha Lopez, computer science freshman said. "If there was a faster way to get through the paperwork, it would be better."

"I would make it more of a path to citizenship rather than a temporary solution." Luis Parra, production and performance senior said.

Some students thought the program should be eliminated.

"I would get rid of it. I think people need to come here the right way. I think it’s wrong that they are given this leeway to be in America and live the American dream without following the legal procedures to be here.” Madison Elliott, public relations senior said. “There are about 800,000 people that take advantage of this program. What’s the point of having immigration laws when there’s a program that lets them be here anyways?"

"It's granting and giving a gift to illegal immigrants. I think it's just too much. We don't do enough things to benefit people who have citizenship, so why are we giving non-citizens so many chances to do things." Cody Enderli, political science senior said.

Read all the student interviews at https://mc1313krantz.blogspot.com/

DACA INTERVIEWS

By Amanda Carvallo and Michelle Rivera

Name: Nina Ortiz

Major: Criminal Justice

Race/ethnicity: Asian, Black, Hispanic/Latinx, Hawaiian

Gender: Female

Class: Middle

Geography: Big Spring, TX

Generation: 18-25

1.      What is DACA?
“I think mainly… it’s a good thing, I think. Because it’s supposed to help with immigration kind of and everybody here, everybody in America, are generally immigrants. I mean the only people who weren’t were native Americans. So I mean like I think its important that everyone should be able to live here if they want to and I don’t know I think it’s a really big deal and it’s important.”

2.      How do you feel about it?/ why?
“like I said I think it’s really important and I think it’s needed. And I think it allows like the younger generation to like help build a life here in America because there’s so many opportunities that we have that most countries don’t have, so I think it’s a really good thing to have.”

3.      How have you/ anyone you know been affected by DACA?
“not to my knowledge, I don’t think so.” (no one)

4.      If you were in charge, what would you fix?
“Ummmm…….. that is a good question.. um…I guess I would… make it for a longer term, like if you have to reapply it should maybe be longer than just two years.. maybe make it four or five."

Name: Justin Freidman-Feiader

Major: International Relations/ Economics

Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic/Latinx

Gender: Male

Class: Low

Geography: Puerto Rico

Generation: 18-25

1.      What is DACA?
“Um DACA is the program that makes it so childhood arrivals aren’t deported. So they can have jobs and live lives- like people.”

2.      How do you feel about it?
“I think it’s a good program. I don’t think those people need to pay for the crimes of their parents.”

3.      Why do you feel that way?
“why? Um.. imp really deep in my values. Um because of my family. It’s this idea of ‘you’re an individual and you are fully responsible for your actions, but not that of others’ and that just kind of resonates with me.”

4.      How have you/ anyone you know been affected by DACA?
“Um I know a few people. I have a few friends who are scared right now.”

5.      If you were in charge, what would you fix?
“I feel like, at this point, these people have lived here their entire lives. You might as well give them citizenship.”

    

Name: Gyongyi Pisak

Gender: Female

Class: Middle

Geography: New Braunfels, Texas

Generation: 51-70

1. “I think it’s when people who are here illegally, or came to the states illegally, uhm but they have lived here all of their lives, right? This is the Dreamers Act right? And that they would like to stay because this is the only place they know”

2. “I think that these people did not come here on their own, they didn’t break the law. They came here as minors, so I don’t think it’s their fault, if they’re here and therefore they should be allowed to stay”

WHY? - “Because it’s not even against the law. If a minor comes, it wasn’t their intention, it wasn’t their decision, it’s not their fault. It’s not logical”

3. “I don’t know anyone.”

4. “Well I would uh, since these people have gone through school let’s say, their working, I don’t think I would change anything about it, I would let them continue what they’re doing. And if they did something illegal they would probably be punished for that anyways.”

Name: Tristan Pennywell

Gender: Male

Class: Can’t determine

Geography: San Marcos, Texas

Generation: 18-25

1. “Um I believe it’s something about like immigrant’s children going to school in Texas, somehow. I’m not really sure how it all relates totally.”

2. “I think it’s important, I believe it should be in places. Is it like being discussed to be repealed or something?” (I answered briefly to what I know best of my knowledge)

WHY?- “Well, I guess because being a children of an immigrant, you would like not really have a choice of going to a completely different county. And I guess if you’ve been here all your life then you should definitely be entitled to a work permit and equal citizenship eventually.”

3. “I haven’t been affected personally. I believe I do have some friends, or friends of friends, actually there’s one that I can think of that I’m pretty close to, she goes here.”

4. “Well I’m not really sure, I would of course defend it because I think it’s important. And I would assume there’s obviously millions of people here that would also like to defend it so I guess just try our best to keep it around. Because it could change a lot of lives to get rid of something like that.”

Diverse Source Interviews

DACA INTERVIEW

March 22, 2018

Melissa Grollnek

mcg102@txstate.edu 

Sharon Sequera

Age: 21

Class: Senior

Major: Water Resources

Hometown: Dallas, TX

1.     What is DACA?

a.     “I actually had to Google what it was cause I wasn’t entirely sure. I had an idea, but didn’t fully understand it.”

2.     How do you feel about it?

a.     “I’m honestly confused about the whole process of deportation.”

3.     Why do you feel that way?

a.     “I don’t understand how the process works of bringing children over and deporting them or sending back over the border.”

4.     How have you been affected by DACA?

a.     “I haven’t personally been affected by it, but I was naturalized because I was born in Venezuela.”

5.     If you were in charge how would you fix DACA?

a.     “There would have to be some sort or age limit or quota for the different countries. Maybe a residency stay-time thing where you have to stay in the country a certain amount of years before you’re a citizen.”

  

Arata Young

Age: 23

Class: Freshman

Major: Business Management

Hometown: Orange, TX

1.     What is DACA?

a.     “DACA is an executive order signed by Obama during the beginning of his term in like 2012.”

2.     How do you feel about it?

a.     “I wasn’t a fan of Obama, but after talking about this in my government class I understand it now.”

3.     Why do you feel that way?

a.     “The problem with it is that there is no path to citizenship which has to go through Congress.”

4.     How have you been affected by DACA?

a.     “Me personally I have not been affected by DACA.”

5.     If you were in charge how would you fix DACA?

a.     “If I could change something about it I’d make a path to citizenship.”